Amelia’s Magazine | Petra Noordkamp: Chasing the Male Gaze

watchingmen1

All photographs courtesy of Petra Noordkamp

Louisa Lee: Your photos seem very spontaneous. Do you have an idea in advance of what you’re going to photograph?

Petra Noordkamp: Most of the time I have a specific idea of what I want to photograph: lovers in an intimate situation, healing men hanging around the streets or dark seventies hallways. Sometimes I just wander around in big cities and around their outskirts and photograph more intuitively. I search for situations and locations which have a cinematographic quality.

LL: Despite your photos suggesting a further narrative, information pills they have a real stillness about them. Is this something you intend?

PN: It is not something I intend but when I come home after a trip and make a selection from my negatives it is the photos which possess this stillness that I like the best.

hallway

LL: Some of the photos, for instance your ‘Lovers’ sequence, are very intimate. How do you go about capturing this?

PN: I have to admit I really sneak around people. I never ask for permission to photograph them because I want to capture the ‘real’ emotion of that moment. I have a small zoom lens and I make these photos like a paparazzi. I also like the tension and excitement which goes along with these secret operations.

hallway1

LL: Your series of photos for the Purple Journal are very beautiful, what initially inspired them?

PN: For a long time I tried to photograph young and older men in public places. I like the way men hang around on the streets. How they just stand on a street corner and look and wait. I am fascinated by the male gaze. So in a book about modern architecture in Casablanca I saw beautiful pictures of men hanging around an enormous public swimming pool hollowed out of the rocks. Because most of the pictures were taken in the fifties it wasn’t clear if the swimming pool was still there. I found the photos so appealing that I bought a ticket to Casablanca to take a look for myself. I discovered that this large public swimming pool was demolished in 1986 to make way for Casablanca’s grand mosque, but to my joy there were still some swimming pools left on the boulevard de la Corniche. Unfortunately there were no men hanging around the pool but I really loved the architecture of the pools and the buildings around them so I decided to photograph them.

parkeerplaatscavalaire

LL: You’ve also produced a series of book covers. Is text and photography important to you?

PN: I like it very much when my photos are used as a book cover or in a magazine together with a short story or a different kind of text.  I think it has to do with my love for magazines and books. I’ve worked in a bookshop for ten years now and I worked as an editor for magazines for quite a while. But I also think my work really comes to life in combination with a text, maybe it has to do with the narrative quality I am searching for. I would be very interested to do more with this. I am thinking of using a combination of a fictional story combined with photos like W.G. Sebald used to do in his books.

strandagadir

LL: Which author’s work would you like to produce a cover for?

PN: I am very inspired by the work of A.M. Homes, Lorrie Moore, J.M. Coetzee and Richard Yates so it would be great if I could produce a cover for a book of one of these authors.

LL: Who or what else influences your photographs?

PN: I collect second-hand film-scripts; books in which a scenario is combined with photos from the movies. These books are an enormous inspiration for my archive and photo project Cinecitta. This archive consists of photos of locations which remind me of images I have seen in films of Antonioni, Rosselini and Godard; filmmakers who really influenced my way of experiencing and looking at the world. I admire the way the artist Aglaia Konrad uses her photos of buildings and cities in installations and books and I love the songs of PJ Harvey. Her CD ‘Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea’, inspired me to make the photo series ‘Pictures of the Sea.’ Also, the book Youthby J.M. Coetzee made me look more intensely at ‘normal’ men.

aankomstzurich

LL: Where might we see your work next?

PN: I am working on different projects at the moment but I have no exhibitions planned in the near future. You can see my work on the internet on my website and on two blogs. One at petranoordkamp.blogspot.com where I write about my latest projects and publications and the other is a more commercial one where I post pictures which I think will work as book covers.

watchingmen2

Categories ,A.M. Homes, ,Aglaia Konrad, ,Antonioni, ,black and white photography, ,boulevard de la Corniche, ,Casablanca, ,Cinecitta, ,film, ,Godard, ,interview, ,JM Coetzee, ,literature, ,Lorrie Moore, ,Petra Noordkamp, ,photography, ,PJ Harvey, ,Purple Journal, ,Richard Yates, ,Rosselini, ,W.G. Sebald

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Amelia’s Magazine | Nadine Shah at the Lexington: Live Review

Nadine Shah by Tetsuya Toshima

Nadine Shah by Tetsuya Toshima

It was a bakingly hot day, even by the sweltering standards of the past week or so, and the upstairs venue of the venerable Lexington offered cool, air conditioned sanctuary. It was already pretty busy, with Newcastle’s Retriever coming to the end of a pounding post-punk infused set as I arrived, and from what I heard it’s a shame I didn’t get there earlier to catch more of them.

By the time Nadine Shah was due to come on stage, the Lexington was pretty much a full house, and judging by the accents I could pick up, I got the impression that there was quite a sizeable Northeast presence.

Nadine Shah by Avril Kelly

Nadine Shah by Avril Kelly

Hailing from Whitburn, a small coastal village in South Tyneside (which has links to both Lewis Carroll and, improbably, the Spanish Armada), Nadine Shah came to everyone’s attention last year with her darkly dazzling Aching Bones EP. Following a lot of positive press, two recent singles heralded the impending release of her debut album, Love Your Dum and Mad, which itself has been receiving rave reviews. I’d seen her play a spellbinding set at the Old Blue Last in April, so knew that tonight would be something special.

YouTube Preview Image

Taking to the stage dressed all in black, Shah and her band (featuring her producer, Ben Hillier, on drums) were accompanied for the opening part of the set by a horn section, running through tracks from the album like Remember and Used It All. The unsettling Aching Bones, with its clanging percussion and insistent bass riff, got an early airing and a lot of cheers from the crowd.

Nadine Shah by Jessica Buie

Nadine Shah by Jessica Buie

PJ Harvey is a comparison that crops up a lot in articles about Shah, and though I suppose there are some similarities, I think she ploughs her own particularly intense furrow. Shah’s rich, haunting voice fills her quite often dark lyrics, which deal with loss, regret and, in the case of new single Runaway, the bitterness of the wronged wife. As a performer, Shah always seems transfixed on some point in the near distance, seemingly trying to contain the emotions rising within her. Between songs, she is a complete contrast, both chatty and witty (she jokes about the irony of singing a song called Winter Reigns on the hottest day of the year), and there are plenty of thankyous to various friends and family in between sips of red wine.

Nadine Shah by Gareth A Hopkins

Nadine Shah by Gareth A Hopkins

YouTube Preview Image

Tonight’s set covered pretty much the whole of Love Your Dum and Mad, so we also got the simple synth patterns of All I Want, the delicately mournful Dreary Town (which puts me in mind of the second Tindersticks album) and the brooding To Be A Young Man. Closing the evening, Shah played a reworked version of that old torch song Cry Me A River, her tortured vocals soaring through the room, before leaving the stage to resounding cheers from the crowd.

YouTube Preview Image

With her UK tour to promote the album resuming in September, after a spot supporting Bat For Lashes at the Shepherd’s Bush Empire in August, things are looking bright for this rising Northeast star.

Categories ,Avril Kelly, ,Bat for Lashes, ,Ben Hillier, ,Gareth A Hopkins, ,Jessica Buie, ,Lewis Carroll, ,Nadine Shah, ,PJ Harvey, ,Retriever, ,Shepherd’s Bush Empire, ,Tetsuya Toshima, ,The Lexington, ,The Old Blue Last, ,Tindersticks

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Amelia’s Magazine | Music: Interview with Alex Winston

Alex Winston by Gemma smith
Illustration by Gemma Smith

Alex Winston‘s music is the sort that you drive around listening to in the summer. Aha! And look outside, viagra page it looks as if spring has popped along to say hello, treatment with a candy pink blossom hat. So today is the perfect day to start listening to Alex, if you haven’t already. The American plays drums, piano and guitar, and comfortably bestows on us a voice that can just as easily sing 60s styled poppy, girlie tracks, as well as slow ballads. It’s high and utterly, unashamedly, feminine and pretty. Predominantly she is fun, flirty pop. Like the modern day soundtrack to Grease, with glorious helpings of Grease spirit and bubbly style. However her music can’t be defined as simply as that, there are sounds of Arcade Fire, Lykke Li, PJ Harvey and Feist in there… diverse indeed. But oh how it works. Her EP is out now on PIAS records.

Could you introduce yourself please?
Sure. I’m Alex Winston
Where are you from and where do you currently reside?
I’m from Detroit, but recently moved to the lower east side of Manhattan.
What sort of music do you create?
The fun kind.
Do you write it yourself?
Yes, I write everything myself.

alex w

What music/artists/eras influence your music?
I’m a big fan of Motown…The Supremes, Martha Reeves, Smokey Robinson, Little Stevie. Being from Detroit, its hard not to have a huge appreciation for it. I’m also a fan of early Rock and Roll stuff like Chuck Berry, Elvis and Little Richard.
Where do you get your inspiration from?
Things I read, things I watch, relationships, other artists, good people, shitty people.
What’s your music background?
I started playing guitar and taking opera lessons when I was 10. I played in different bands all throughout high school and have been writing songs since I was around 14. My dad is a musician and pretty much taught me everything I know.

AlexWinston by Gemma Smith
Illustration by Gemma Smith

What instruments do you play?
Guitar, Piano and Ukulele…I toy around with a million others, but those are my main instruments.
What can we find on your EP?
Six songs I’ve written over the last year or so. Some from when I was living in my dads basement back in Detroit, and some newer ones from here in New York. Its been a really transitional time for me, and I think you can hear that in the mini album.
Do you feel free to create the music you wish, or is there pressure to be ‘mainstream’?
There has never been any pressure to be anything other than what I am. Luckly when you write your own music, its easier to control the direction you go in. I also work with a great group of people who are interested in what I produce, not what they could morph me into.

alex winston

And tours, what are the like for you?
I love touring and I love traveling. Right after high school I opted out of college for the opportunity to tour the US and I absolutely fell in love with the lifestyle. Now, I’m ready to expand and play all over the world. There is so much that I’d like to see.
How do you relax?
I sit in bed with thai food and watch music documentaries. I’m just about to watch the Lemmy one right now!
Do you enjoy being in England?
Yeah I love it. Its really becoming a second home. I feel like I’ve spent more time in the UK than in NYC in the last few months, and I can’t say that I mind it!
Where do you see yourself in the future?
Hopefully doing the same exact thing that I’m doing now. I’m not trying to be a super star…just want to be able to perform and write on a steady basis for as long as possible.
When can the UK see you? Festivals planned at all?
I know I’ll be touring over there in May and hopefully doing some festivals as well. I’ll be there whenever you guys will have me!

Tour Listings can be found here.

Categories ,Alex Winston, ,America, ,Arcade Fire, ,Choice Notes, ,Chuck Berry, ,detroit, ,Elvis, ,ep, ,Feist, ,Gemma Smith, ,Helen Martin, ,Little Richard, ,Little Stevie, ,london, ,Lykke Li, ,Martha Reeves, ,music, ,new york, ,Pias Records, ,PJ Harvey, ,pop, ,Sister Wife, ,Smokey Robinson, ,The Supremes

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Amelia’s Magazine | Nadine Shah at the Lexington: Live Review

Nadine Shah by Tetsuya Toshima

Nadine Shah by Tetsuya Toshima

It was a bakingly hot day, even by the sweltering standards of the past week or so, and the upstairs venue of the venerable Lexington offered cool, air conditioned sanctuary. It was already pretty busy, with Newcastle’s Retriever coming to the end of a pounding post-punk infused set as I arrived, and from what I heard it’s a shame I didn’t get there earlier to catch more of them.

By the time Nadine Shah was due to come on stage, the Lexington was pretty much a full house, and judging by the accents I could pick up, I got the impression that there was quite a sizeable Northeast presence.

Nadine Shah by Avril Kelly

Nadine Shah by Avril Kelly

Hailing from Whitburn, a small coastal village in South Tyneside (which has links to both Lewis Carroll and, improbably, the Spanish Armada), Nadine Shah came to everyone’s attention last year with her darkly dazzling Aching Bones EP. Following a lot of positive press, two recent singles heralded the impending release of her debut album, Love Your Dum and Mad, which itself has been receiving rave reviews. I’d seen her play a spellbinding set at the Old Blue Last in April, so knew that tonight would be something special.

YouTube Preview Image

Taking to the stage dressed all in black, Shah and her band (featuring her producer, Ben Hillier, on drums) were accompanied for the opening part of the set by a horn section, running through tracks from the album like Remember and Used It All. The unsettling Aching Bones, with its clanging percussion and insistent bass riff, got an early airing and a lot of cheers from the crowd.

Nadine Shah by Jessica Buie

Nadine Shah by Jessica Buie

PJ Harvey is a comparison that crops up a lot in articles about Shah, and though I suppose there are some similarities, I think she ploughs her own particularly intense furrow. Shah’s rich, haunting voice fills her quite often dark lyrics, which deal with loss, regret and, in the case of new single Runaway, the bitterness of the wronged wife. As a performer, Shah always seems transfixed on some point in the near distance, seemingly trying to contain the emotions rising within her. Between songs, she is a complete contrast, both chatty and witty (she jokes about the irony of singing a song called Winter Reigns on the hottest day of the year), and there are plenty of thankyous to various friends and family in between sips of red wine.

Nadine Shah by Gareth A Hopkins

Nadine Shah by Gareth A Hopkins

YouTube Preview Image

Tonight’s set covered pretty much the whole of Love Your Dum and Mad, so we also got the simple synth patterns of All I Want, the delicately mournful Dreary Town (which puts me in mind of the second Tindersticks album) and the brooding To Be A Young Man. Closing the evening, Shah played a reworked version of that old torch song Cry Me A River, her tortured vocals soaring through the room, before leaving the stage to resounding cheers from the crowd.

YouTube Preview Image

With her UK tour to promote the album resuming in September, after a spot supporting Bat For Lashes at the Shepherd’s Bush Empire in August, things are looking bright for this rising Northeast star.

Categories ,Avril Kelly, ,Bat for Lashes, ,Ben Hillier, ,Gareth A Hopkins, ,Jessica Buie, ,Lewis Carroll, ,Nadine Shah, ,PJ Harvey, ,Retriever, ,Shepherd’s Bush Empire, ,Tetsuya Toshima, ,The Lexington, ,The Old Blue Last, ,Tindersticks

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Amelia’s Magazine | Primavera Sound 2011 Review: Warpaint, PJ Harvey, Animal Collective and more! (Day 3)

Warpaint-at-Primavera-by-Rebecca-Elves
Warpaint by Rebecca Elves

The first band I aim to see today is Warpaint. Breathing salty seabreeze and sipping the first flat beer of the day I make my way to the stage where they’re playing, doctor that is already packed. I’ve been into this band since the times of Billie Holiday, pill and today they confirm the first impression I had of them. They play and sing perfectly, build up intricate layers of harmonies, and they look so cool on stage – having fun between themselves and engaging with the audience – that’s a pleasure to watch their show. With this performance I’m officially sold to their magic. They’re my new favourite girls band. Better, they’re my new favourite band, and the fact that they’re girls makes me empathise with them even more. “Love is the only way out”, Theresa Wayman sings with grave voice during their stunning performance of ‘Beetles’ (from their first EP Exquisite Corpse). And for a moment I believe her. What I learn from seeing this gig is that the future of music seem to be pink. Or better, it wears laddered stockings and smeared make up. And slides the guitar like a proper guitar hero(ine).

Video: Warpaint – Billie Holiday
YouTube Preview Image

At the end of the gig the marathon starts. Gotta reach the other end of the festival site to catch tUnE-yArDs, the noise-pop princess that recently gained popularity with the release of W H O K I L L . The sweetness of her whimsical style, reminiscent of Coco Rosie, and her flashy attire gain my sympathies. However, the festival stage is not exactly what gives justice to her music. Plus, the sound here on the Pitchfork stage is just awful. We later decide to enjoy Fleet Foxes lying on the green knoll that surrounds the main stage. Given the heath and the tiredness accumulated in these days, this is a far better way to enjoy their lulling harmonies than sweating it out under the stage. Fleet Foxes’ bold sound suits very well the festival main stage and easily wins the challenge. We let ourselves be caressed by their arias and transported into pastoral landscapes and dreamy soundscapes, enjoying the sun setting on the festival site and doing some people watching (which is always an interesting activity especially in these circumstances).

tune-yards by Laura Lotti
tUnE-yArDs by Laura Lotti

On my way to restore my thirsty limbs, I pass by the ATP stage and I’m totally hypnotized by an supernatural sound of violins juxtaposed to throbbing drumbeats. Who is this, I wonder. I find out this is non the less than The Album Leaf, that, despite starting as a solo project by Californian artist Jimmy LaValle, tonight plays as a whole band – a small orchestra, I should say – formed by violins, keys, drums, guitar, trumpet and bass. Their set is simply beautiful. I must admit I didn’t know much about them before, but the conquer me with a key. If you’ve got the chance, go see them live. It’ll probably be the best concert of your life. And you will never regret it.

Einsturzende-Neubauten-at-Primavera-by-Rebecca-Elves
Einstürzende Neubauten by Rebecca Elves

Time has come to go to see Einstürzende Neubauten, the historic German band among the propulsors for the Neue Deutsche Welle movement, that revolutionised the idea of electronic music mixing industrial sounds with punk attitude in the divided Germany of the Cold War period. Equipped with various percussion kits and noise machines made out of different post-industrial paraphernalia, the stage looks more like a steam punk set than a 21st century festival stage. Blixa Bargeld sings and shrieks with his monotone charming voice, and is still as crazy and charismatic as he was 30 years ago. He’s The Gentleman of industrial music. The deep bass and tribal drum beat make it impossible to stand still. With references to Italian Futurists Marinetti and Russolo, they play a wild concert, experimenting with instruments made out of the most improbable machineries. Iron and steel are not only cold lifeless “things”. Technology (either new or old) has got a primitive, lively side. And Einstürzende Neubauten take it all out.

PJHarveybyElliottQuince
PJ Harvey by Elliott Quince

Rhetoric review for PJ Harvey. She’s amazing as expected. Dressed as an otherworldly fairy, her voice sounds as strong as her pixie figure looks frail. After the first track, taken from her last success ‘Let England Shake’, though, doubts arise in my mind: is this PJ Harvey? Comparisons are too easy with another ageless pixie fairy gifted with otherworldly voice: Björk. There’s nothing wrong with PJ’s performance, but she’s just not the heroine from ‘Rid Of Me’ or ‘Down By The Water’. And with this in mind, and some misfeelings towards her, I make my way away from the crowd in a quest for new and original sounds. Anyway, it’s easy to know what to expect next from this concert – an array of awesomely performed songs by one of the greatest artists alive and active now (description that could fit both PJ Harvey and Bjork, by the way).

PJ-Harvey-at-Primavera-by-Rebecca-Elves
PJ Harvey by Rebecca Elves

I feel adventurous and go for Davila 666, a Puertorican rock band that’s meant to give us some rock and roll fun time. Indeed, Davila 666 rock-fucking-roll!! And, quite surprisingly, they’ve got their wee following of PJHarveydontgiveafuckers. Their rock á la Beach Boys with a grunge touch is infectious. I can’t stop jumping. Their strength is that…they are FUN! They play totally unpretentious, wholesome rockabilly tracks, with a hint of sexiness (well, rock and roll IS sexy after all, as Elvis teaches). It is that kind of music made with the spirit of having a good time and making people have a good time too – genuine, spontaneous. During their set, all the worries fade away in the sweat and the laughter. There’s a life to worry about things anyway, but it’s going to start tomorrow. Now there’s only music. And though not knowing the lyrics (that, by the way, are sung in Spanish) I find myself singing along. With a smile on my face.

Davila666byLauraLotti
Davila 666 by Laura Lotti

And after Davila 666, total change of atmospheres with Scottish post-rock stars Mogwai. Mogwai’s melodies lull my mind into faraway places and untouchable lands. I want to get closer and melt with the sound, that is so thick and heavy I feel I’m drowning in it. But I’m soon back to Planet Earth, Barcelona and Parc del Forum, when The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion kicks off. Their sound, a contemporary version of what rockabilly might have been interpreted into in the 1990s, has been labelled anything from garage rock to punk blues and blues-rock. Whatever. To me they sound just brilliant! The stage is packed. Everybody jumps, waves to the band and even thank them for this great gift of pure energy. The atmosphere is wired, I’m lost in the crowd, it will be difficult to find my friends, but I don’t really care now that I’m securely wrapped into this literal Explosion of rock. It’s a never ending groove. It makes even difficult to stand still and take pictures (in a very positive way, I mean). This is definitely the rock ‘n roll night of Primavera Sound for me. I haven’t had so much fun like tonight!

Animal-Collective-at-Primavera-by-Rebecca-Elves
Animal Collective by Rebecca Elves

Then it’s time for the band I was mostly striving to see since the beginning of the festival: might sound banal, but it’s Animal Collective.
I must start by saying that I’ve got a huge amount of respect for Animal Collective. They are The Band of the Noughties, blending noise and pop in a lysergic swirl to create a distinctive sound of their own that’s given birth to a whole new genre, universally recognised and still difficult to label. And for Primavera Sound they deliver an outstanding performance, completed by trippy visuals and an awesome quality of the sound. Though, it lacks of intimacy and it feels almost stuck up. There’s no interaction with the adoring audience whatsoever, and, to the greatest disappointment of the public, they leave the stage after an overwhelming performance of Summertime Clothes without a word, without an encore. It was too perfect to be totally real.

AnimalCollectivebyLauraLotti
Animal Collective’s psychedelic visuals by Laura Lotti

With my heart half broken, I head to see The Black Angels. With the Austin band, you can’t really go wrong. In fact, they are as good as I remember them from their last gig in London in February. The sound is pounding and the beer is flowing. Dancing to the notes of ‘Telephone’ and ‘Haunting at 1300 McKinley’, the night flows towards the end of this couldn’t-be-any-better festival. While technicians and operators start to dismount the stages, the few venturers still remained within the gates of the Parc del Forum gathered by the Pitchfork stage for the dark set by brainy dubstep mastermind Kode9. Most of them, no wonder, are British. I don’t last too long, though. It’s already 7am by the time that I make it to La Rambla. I’m literally OD’d in live music, my ears fizzle, my feet hurt, my back aches (what a wreck) and my bank account is overdrawn. But I’ve never been so happy. It’s time to sleep and metabolise all the inputs received in these 3 days of music marathon.

TheBlackAngelsbyLauraLotti
The Black Angels by Laura Lotti

All in all, the balance of this festival has been extremely positive. I’ve got two new favourite girls bands: Warpaint and No Joy.
Two acts to be excited about as soon as they come to play in London: James Blake and Tennis. Some contemporaries to invest into for the future: Deerhunter (as if we didn’t know). Some oldies that confirm their credibility in time and that I might not have the chance to see again: Pere Ubu, Einstürzende Neubauten and Jon Spencer Blues Explosion. Plus, I made peace with one of my idols: Johnny Lydon. And I had extreme fun with Davila 666. Yes, this is like old story. We all knew these acts were amazing. PR companies tell us every day through features on magazines, blogs, billboards. But the truth is, no matter how many CDs we buy, album and tracks we download (legally and non), music blogs and magazines we follow… It’s only through live music that one can experience fully what a band has to offer and potentially put her/his trust in them. Fact. Music festivals are for this, after all.

And finally, the main message I got from this festival is that music is ALIVE, in its past, present and future forms. You only have to be open to it. And let yourself be overwhelmed by it.

MorningbyLauraLotti
Leaving the Festival Site for the last time by Laura Lotti

Categories ,Amelia’s Magazine, ,Animal Collective, ,Ariel Pink, ,Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti, ,Atlas Sound, ,Avant Gard, ,barcelona, ,Beach House, ,beer, ,Beetles, ,Bradford Cox, ,Chores, ,Coco Rosie, ,Common People, ,Davila 666, ,deerhunter, ,Disco 2000, ,Einstürzende Neubauten, ,electronic, ,Elliott Quince, ,festivals, ,Fleet Foxes, ,James Blake, ,Jarvis Cocker, ,Kode 9, ,laura lotti, ,Let England Shake, ,mogwai, ,Music Festivals, ,No Joy, ,Parc del Forum, ,Pere Ubu, ,PiL, ,PJ Harvey, ,Post Punk, ,Primavera Sound, ,psychedelia, ,Public Image Ltd, ,Queuing, ,Rebecca Elves, ,rock, ,Rock and Roll, ,rockabilly, ,spain, ,summer, ,Tennis, ,The Album Leaf, ,The Black Angels, ,The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, ,Theresa Wayman, ,tune-yards, ,Warpaint

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Amelia’s Magazine | An interview with The Raincoats as 1981 album Odyshape is rereleased on We ThRee

The Raincoats by James Shedden
The Raincoats by James Shedden.

The Raincoats are an all girl band who formed during the late 1970s and split up in the mid 1980s. I was very little at the time of their original releases so unfortunately I did not discover The Raincoats until much more recently, online well into my adult years. The band had an exciting can do attitude that melded punk, see classical and reggae influences into spiky arrhythmic folk punk tunes that even today sound way more exciting than many current bands. They reformed in the mid 90s after a resurgence in interest thanks to gushing plaudits from Kurt Cobain and are now widely hailed as one of the seminal post punk bands. I catch up with founders Ana da Silva and Gina Birch as they gear up to rerelease their second album on its 30th anniversary.

Raincoats in Poland

Why did you decide to reissue Odyshape now?
ANA:  This year is the 30th anniversary of this album. So, as we like anniversaries, we decided to release The Raincoats and Odyshape on their 30th… We remastered the albums for Japan and re-did the art work so it would sound and look the best possible. We now own the rights to them and, as they should be available, we thought we’d release them on our own label We ThRee. Both on CD and vinyl. They look and sound the best ever! Theyl also have a booklet and A4 sheet respectively with liner notes, lyrics, photos and a piece of writing from me on the 1st album and from Gina on Odyshape.

The raincoats odyshape
What does Odyshape mean?
GINA: The title was a pun on the odyssey of a body. The idea that a body could have an ideal shape and it if did, what happens when a body doesn’t live up to that ideal. It was at a time, when (as probably now) there seemed to be a body fascism. It was important for women to be this shape or that shape. Thanks to people like Beth Ditto, and hopefully The Raincoats, things have been broken down a little. Hair can be crazy, messy, outfits can be baggy or tight, inside out or upside down, we can be fat or thin, creative, playful, stylish and beautiful without having to subscribe to some fashion mag ideal.

The Raincoats1981
You formed the original band whilst still at art college… how did your studies in art influence how you made music?
ANA: Besides the obvious side of art work, I think we’re trying to do what art should do: create works that inspire other people, that question the status quo, that express ideas which come from our own minds and hearts and also works that look at the human condition and provide some comfort to the listener.

The Raincoats by Karin Soderquist
The Raincoats by Karin Soderquist.

Odyshape seems to owe as much to contemporary classical music as it does punk – was this something that inspired you?    
ANA: We listen to all sorts of music so, intentionally or unintentionally, different  things appear. I do like some classical music very much, like the Bach‘s cello suites, Erik Satie, some opera, etc.  but I don’t think my playing sounds very classical…maybe you mean the violin which was played by Vicky Aspinall who is classically trained.

The Raincoats by Janette Beckman1981
The Raincoats in 1981.

You haven’t produced a new album since the mid 90s – what have you been up to since then?
ANA: I’ve been doing my own solo music and released an album called The Lighthouse on Chicks On Speed records. I’ve also been doing some drawings and paintings some of which I’ll be showing at the Pop Montreal festival, together with Gina’s videos and Shirley’s photographs. It’s really a great opportunity to show our art, visual and musical. It’s the first time we do this and are very happy and excited about it.
GINA: I have been collaborating with various musicians and artists and very involved in a project called The Gluts, (with two women artists) Also I have been playing solo, writing songs, making films, painting and, raising two children.

The Raincoats by Rukmunal Hakim
The Raincoats by Rukmunal Hakim.

Gina – you were an early fan of the craft revival – knitting on tour. Do you still craft and if so what?
GINA: I did knit on the first Raincoats tour, when I wore the jumper at the final gig… and then didn’t do any knittingfor quite a few years but have always liked to paint, draw, knit, mosaic, make films whatever. I have been knitting a lot in the last year or two and have made Raincoats inspired bags, and I have also been sewing banners with lyrics and messages on them.  

The Raincoats by Kassie Berry
The Raincoats by Kassie Berry.

Has Gina Birch’s film, The Raincoats, Fairytales, been completed? 
GINA: The film is still a work in progress. It is an organic process it seems and hopefully will be concluded in the coming six months.

YouTube Preview ImageBaby Song performed live in the 80s

You will be playing your debut album live again at ATP this December – anything special in store and what are you looking forward to most about the Holiday Camp experience?
ANA: Just playing is a special thing, but we’ve played twice at ATP and really enjoyed it: swimming, meeting people, being able to choose amongst so much different music and the relaxed atmosphere. We will be playing the first album at Jeff Mangum‘s request but will play other songs too, not sure which yet.

YouTube Preview ImageThe Raincoats perform live at ATP in 2010

Which other current bands do you enjoy listening to or watching?
ANA: I think P.J. Harvey‘s latest album is so good, so I enjoyed listening to it at seeing them live a couple of times. Also saw Portishead whose music I like but had never seen live and that was very good too. I was listening yesterday to Ponytail, Colleen, Electrelane, Neutral Milk HotelLouis and Bebe BarronJenny O in the car coming back from Portugal.

The-Raincoats-By-Barb-Royal
The Raincoats by Barb Royal.

What next for The Raincoats?
ANA: We’re doing a tour in the U.S.A. and Canada (New York, Washington, Chicago, Detroit, Toronto and Montreal) in September and ATP in December. And because of the re-release of Odyshape and those dates some interviews too… thanks for your part. Otherwise nothing concrete, but I’m sure other things will happen.

YouTube Preview ImageOnly Loved at Night, performed live in 2009

Odyshape is rereleased in heavyweight vinyl and as a special edition CD on We ThRee records on September 12th 2011. The band will tour the east coast of the USA from 16 – 26 September 2011 and play Jeff Mangum’s ATP, Minehead on 3 December 2011.

Categories ,1980s, ,2011, ,album, ,Ana da Silva, ,Arrhythmic, ,atp, ,Baby Song, ,Bach, ,Barb Royal, ,Bebe Barron, ,Beth Ditto, ,Body Fascism, ,Chicks on Speed, ,classical, ,Colleen, ,December, ,Electrelane, ,Erik Satie, ,folk, ,Gina Birch, ,James Shedden, ,Jeff Mangum, ,Jenny O, ,Karin Söderquist, ,Kassie Berry, ,Kurt Cobain, ,Louis, ,Neutral Milk Hotel, ,Odyshape, ,Only Loved at Night, ,PJ Harvey, ,Ponytail, ,Pop Montreal, ,Portishead, ,punk, ,Rerelease, ,review, ,Rukmunal Hakim, ,The LIghthouse, ,The Raincoats, ,tour, ,Vicky Aspinall, ,Violin, ,We ThRee, ,WETHREE

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Amelia’s Magazine | Puerto Muerto – Drumming For Pistols – Album Review

mattAll photographs courtesy of Leon Diaper

Leon Diaper is a 23-year-old very talented photographer hailing from New Forest. Leon graduated last summer from the art institute of Bournemouth where he had studied a BA in Commercial Photography. He is now trying his luck in the big city of London.

Valerie Pezeron: Hello Leon, price how are you getting on living in London?

Leon Diaper: I am trying to make my way with everyone else, doing my own work. I have a day job to earn money in American Apparel at the moment. This is all right. I have a few friends who work there. I needed a job when I came to London and this is better than the bar job I used to have back home, with crazy hours. It does not make you particularly productive.

VP: Why commercial photography?

LD: If you want to make a living, the course I did was more grounded than the other photography BA a few of my friends did. Theirs was a really open-ended and really fine art based course. It wasn’t anything I liked, looked at or ventured towards. With my course, I could do fashion, documentary and you get 6 weeks to do a project in anything you want. I was shown how you could sell your work and get it published.

6

VP: So you did work for Dazed and Confused? How did that come about?

LD: Just band stuff and portraits, which is always nice to do. Normally I would email them, just annoy people and then call. Most of the time, clients you approach are quite nice; I’m going to meet someone from Tank magazine today. They just said, “Come over and show me your work”. It’s often quite informal, and then you just have to prop them again to go “hey, what do you think!’ and things like that. It was a paid gig, which is always really nice.

VP: So far you have been photographing bands but the rest of your portfolio is quite different.

LD: Yes, because music photography is the easiest way to get your work into magazines. I have so far photographed bands like Siren and Siren. My personal work tends to be more documentary stuff. I enjoy doing narratives, meeting groups and individuals.

VP: What king of magazines would you see your work fit in best?

LD: In Dazed, they have the editorial piece. I would love to do stories for such magazines. I love spending a lot of time building a body of work in order to narrow it down into a piece. Bands are always really hard to make that exciting, to be honest. It’s a really good thing to do but… but here are two guys I have never met and I’ve got 50 minutes to get a picture that is good!

VP: I love the work of Anton Corbijn. Who do you like and who influenced you?

LD: I’m quite traditional. William Eggleston and Steven Shaw…all the photographers from back in the 60s and 70s, these are the people I go back to, that I am excited about. That’s why I do a lot of work in America when I go away.

VP: Did you always know you wanted to be a photographer?

LD: I remember doing photography way back at A’ levels and being a little bit unsure where to go. I was doing communications then and did not know what to do with it so I thought maybe I’d give photography a go. I’ve carried on with it since. I don’t come from a family of artists. My step dad played the guitar, that’s about it! My mum is science based and no one took photos around me. I’d say music was always the thing I was into and I am in a band. Film, music and photography all excite me.

bandpic

VP: What do you play in the band?

LD: I play the guitar and sing. I try to sing! It’s quite 90’s grungy pop songs sort of thing. Louder bands like Sonic Youth and singer-songwriters like Elliott Smith are on my play list, Joanna Newsom also. Things like that are good to listen to when you are reading. I love the nostalgic sound of albums one used to listen to a while ago and you listen to now to remember things by.

VP: What kind of camera do you use?

LD: I use a Bronica medium format camera for some stuff. My favourite camera for my documentary work is the Kiev; it’s got a really nice quality to it for things like portraits..

VP: Tell us about your printing methods? Do you use just colour?

LD: I normally take it somewhere because colour is really hard, black and white you can just do at home. Lately I have popped in a few black and white images in there.

VP: You seem to enjoy manipulating light, light effects such as smoke.

LD: I bring in little props such as powder to make an image such as photographs of people dynamic, less stiff. Things become fun; it brings surrealism and freedom to the images. I pay special attention to colours also.

wonder

VP: What is your most precious possession?

LD: Probably my guitar! I’ve been in bands for years and I have had it through the whole time. It’s quite a good electric guitar; I remember saving a lot of money for it. My Kiev and Bronica come next. These two are my main cameras. I have other pinhole cameras that I have used for series with the sort of dreamy sequence.

VP: What do you think of Pentax and Leicas…?

LD: I’d love a Leica camera but they’re so beyond being able to afford them! I’d love to buy lots and lots of cameras, but now that I’ve found ones that I can use I’m sticking with them.

VP: Yes, and these are gorgeous pictures! What would be your dream job?

LD: I’d love to be paid to do the sort of documentaries like this one I did when I went to America for two months, establishing myself as part of those great photographers. It’s that kind of that grand ambition of great adventure, of disappearing and coming back.

man

VP: Have you read “On the Road” by Jack Kerouac?

LD: I have! My pictures of Slab City are a great example; it’s an old military place in the middle of the Colorado Desert. Back in the war, it had been used for bombing then they closed it. The army stayed and lived there for a bit, people started coming there for a bit and in the 60’s, there was a huge commune…

VP: It’s one of the last frontiers, isn’t it?

LD: Yes, and it looks like something out of Mad Max. Have you seen the film “Into the Wild”? They filmed at Slab City this guy; my friends and me helped him paint the mountain at 6 am. Everyone has a dog in Slab City. It’s probably one of the coolest places I have ever been, being there with these people. It’s people on drugs, down and outs and I see the beauty, the freedom. These people are living their own way with their own means, getting by without harming anybody. Some people there have super posh motor homes and on the other end of the spectrum, others live in makeshifts. They live day by day almost for free, gas and food are almost all they worry about. I’d be lying to myself if I claimed I could live like that.

girl

VP: It’s really quite different from Bournemouth, isn’t it?

LD: It’s definitely worlds and worlds away from Bournemouth! I love the contrast of American Pop culture because it’s loud and all quite new, the strange, weird and wonderful.

VP: Literature seems to have played a big part in your development.

LD: Ah yeah, definitely! 50’s and 60’s culture, Beatniks…Faulkner. I’m currently reading Hunter S. Thompson. The backbone of my work is freedom based American culture. Another photo series of mine is in San Francisco, outside of this bookstore where Kerouac and friends used to meet. The first year we drove from New York to LA for two months. We rented a half decent car and did a five a half thousand miles!

VP: There is an overwhelming sense of nostalgia in your work. It’s as if you wish we were still in that place.

LD: Massively! Definitely! I’ve always wanted to go back and we did; we went from Vancouver to San Francisco- the pacific Coast. Why can’t we do this all the time!

VP: Have you watched Planet of the Apes and Soylent Green?

LD: I have but never looked at it artistically.

VP: There is something there about civilisation having been there a long time ago, but then you look back on it. Things have really moved on but there are places, like in the movie where Charlton Heston discovers the Statue of Liberty in the sand…

LD: Forgotten times, yes. I like kind of weird stuff like Harmony Korine and Gummo. The mix of playfulness and the serious: I did some work on wrestling, obviously it’s bigger in the US. I always see images in films and that informs my work. I try to find weird and wonderful people.

mask

VP: What are your plans for this year?

LD: I’d like to go away again somewhere. I’d like to go to Alaska.

VP: Oh, wow! Maybe you could put Palin back in her habitat, which might be good.

LD: (Laughter) Exactly! There is a British Journalism Photography competition I entered last year and got short-listed for. I got some work in their magazine, which was nice- I am not quite sure when I hear from them if I win. You get 5 000 pounds if you win to do a project you propose to them, that’s why I want to go to Alaska o follow the Transatlantic oil line that goes from north to south. It would be reportage on the freedom of meeting different kind of people along the way. I like taking detail shots and landscapes.

VP: Any other plans?

LD: A Masters Degree one day but not any time soon. I’m doing a group photography exhibition called “Clinique Presents” from the 11th of February at the Amersham Arms. There will be some prints for sale and the theme is loosely based on magic.

painting-the-canyon
Do you ever get that hundred-heartbeats-a-second feeling when you see a piece of jewellery that’s really one of a kind? That piece you’ve got to have, website like this now, before anything else happens, before another breath can be taken? I get this feeling, and I call it Frillybylily-itis.  The beautiful jewellery of London based designer Lily McCallin is a collection of forgotten treasures with a charm and delicate beauty that is hard to ignore. Each piece is created individually from recycled trinkets, charms, beads, or indeed whatever Lily can lay her hands on, to create a truly individual look that draws inspiration not only from the elegance of a bygone era, but indulges in a cheeky, modern aesthetic that never fails to bring a smile to your face.

blue_eyes

Imagery throughout depicting Frillybylily products, created and photographed by Lily McCallin. ‘Blue Eyes’ necklace.

Frillybylily is showered with as much love in production as it deserves in wearing, and with a keen eye for hunting down the kind of pieces most of us would take a lifetime to find, Frillybylily takes all the hard work out of becoming a costume jewellery connoisseur. As each day passes and the contents of the high street seems to morph further into one tangled mess of the same drab, rehashed ideas, Frillybylily is a ray of light, a hope of salvaging some kind of pride and enjoyment in affordable but quality designs. What’s more, they come with the added bonus of appeasing the fashion conscience as McCallin is keen to utilise an eco-friendly outlook in her work. Her delightfully girlish website lists the recycled percentage of each piece so you can rest assured that you’re not only ‘doing your bit for the environment’ but are getting gorgeous jewellery and feeling wonderful for it in return.

train_bracelet

‘Train’ bracelet.

Each piece is layered with an array of intricate and interesting trims and touches from the naval graving chunky chains adorned with antique gems, to an experimentation with Perspex and fridge magnets that transports you back to the innocence of childhood and a fascination with all things sparkly. Don’t necessarily be distracted by the name, this jewellery is not simply frilly, there are also some standout, chunky designs that, if taken care of properly, will see you through season after season never failing to draw admiring glances. Any neckline would long for the Junglist Massive Necklace (pictured below), a menagerie of leaves, wooden hoops and overflowing crystals that wouldn’t look out of place if Tarzan’s Jane decided to finally add a little edge to her look. Charm bracelets are overloaded with a minutia of striking gold accessories, semi-precious stones and quirky one-offs in a colour palette that varies from the Japanese pop freshness of apple greens and candy pinks to a deep jade that emanates a mysterious allure.

junglist_massive

‘Junglist Massive’ necklace.

There must be something in the name, because Lily Allen was unable to resist a Frillybylily charm necklace, whilst the brand has been touted by Grazia, Time Out and has even had an exclusive line in Urban Outfitters. But there’s no need to worry about one of London’s best kept secrets getting too mainstream; Lily promises never to make two pieces the same, though if you are inclined to invest in a truly stunning and personal project, you can work together to create your own commissioned piece. These ventures are not limited to jewellery alone and with a foray into chandeliers, bridal accessories and a growing men’s range offering the same humour and eye for detail that characterises its sister collection –    Frillybylily could be a more permanent fixture in your life soon. Just don’t hesitate when you feel your breath quickening as you begin to covet her infectiously enjoyable work; once they’re gone, they’re really gone.

horseshoe

‘Horseshoe’ necklace.
Do you ever get that hundred-heartbeats-a-second feeling when you see a piece of jewellery that’s really one of a kind? That piece you’ve got to have, information pills now, case before anything else happens, pilule before another breath can be taken? I get this feeling, and I call it Frillybylily-itis.  The beautiful jewellery of London based designer Lily McCallin is a collection of forgotten treasures with a charm and delicate beauty that is hard to ignore. Each piece is created individually from recycled trinkets, charms, beads, or indeed whatever Lily can lay her hands on, to create a truly individual look that draws inspiration not only from the elegance of a bygone era, but indulges in a cheeky, modern aesthetic that never fails to bring a smile to your face.

Frillybylily is showered with as much love in production as it deserves in wearing, and with a keen eye for hunting down the kind of pieces most of us would take a lifetime to find, Frillybylily takes all the hard work out of becoming a costume jewellery connoisseur. As each day passes and the contents of the high street seems to morph further into one tangled mess of the same drab, rehashed ideas, Frillybylily is a ray of light, a hope of salvaging some kind of pride and enjoyment in affordable but quality designs. What’s more, they come with the added bonus of appeasing the fashion conscience as McCallin is keen to utilise an eco-friendly outlook in her work. Her delightfully girlish website lists the recycled percentage of each piece so you can rest assured that you’re not only ‘doing your bit for the environment’ but are getting gorgeous jewellery and feeling wonderful for it in return.

Each piece is layered with an array of intricate and interesting trims and touches from the naval graving chunky chains adorned with antique gems, to an experimentation with Perspex and fridge magnets that transports you back to the innocence of childhood and a fascination with all things sparkly. Don’t necessarily be distracted by the name, this jewellery is not simply frilly, there are also some standout, chunky designs that, if taken care of properly, will see you through season after season never failing to draw admiring glances. Any neckline would long for the Junglist Massive Necklace, a menagerie of leaves, wooden hoops and overflowing crystals that wouldn’t look out of place if Tarzan’s Jane decided to finally add a little edge to her look. Charm bracelets are overloaded with a minutia of striking gold accessories, semi-precious stones and quirky one-offs in a colour palette that varies from the Japanese pop freshness of apple greens and candy pinks to a deep jade that emanates a mysterious allure.

There must be something in the name, because Lily Allen was unable to resist a Frillybylily charm necklace, whilst the brand has been touted by Grazia, Time Out and has even had an exclusive line in Urban Outfitters. But there’s no need to worry about one of London’s best kept secrets getting too mainstream; Lily promises never to make two pieces the same, though if you are inclined to invest in a truly stunning and personal project, you can work together to create your own commissioned piece. These ventures are not limited to jewellery alone and with a foray into chandeliers, bridal accessories and a growing men’s range offering the same humour and eye for detail that characterises its sister collection –    Frillybylily could be a more permanent fixture in your life soon. Just don’t hesitate when you feel your breath quickening as you begin to covet her infectiously enjoyable work; once they’re gone, they’re really gone.
Puerto Muerto - Drumming For Pistols

There is something very endearing about a couple in a rock band. Just look at the on-stage chemistry of Johnny Cash and June Carter if you require any proof. I admit, dosage I was never the greatest fan of Cash’s music, online but there is no denying the magic that took place whenever those two played, gazing lovingly into each other’s eyes. You could sense that something special was taking place.

Puerto Muerto’s husband and wife duo, Tim Kelley and Christa Meyer, possess the same dark romanticism. The brooding folk rockers from Chicago already have three critically-acclaimed albums under their belts and Drumming for Pistols looks set to enjoy the same warm reception. Their tainted tales, equal parts sweet and sour, will provoke thoughts of passionate sex and cold-blooded murder at the same time.

Puerto 1

Opening track, Song of the Moon, is led by an infectiously dirty bass line and Meyer’s raspy vocals evoke the nostalgia of early Polly Jean Harvey recordings for all the right reasons. Follow up track Tamar threatens to be a forgettable folk ballad on account of Kelley’s flat, emotionless growling until his wife assists on the chorus and the balance is quickly restored. Her chant: “Oh daddy, Oh daddy. Why’d you do those things to me” will send shivers down your spine.

The strongest track on the album is unquestionably Arcadia, with its galloping guitars and anthemic chorus that is infectious to a fault. The album closes with the profoundly tragic love song Goodbye to the End. It is here that Meyer’s vocals display the ability to evoke heartfelt sentiment, assisted solely by a sombre acoustic guitar. I defy you to listen to this perfectly articulated gem and not reminisce about a love that is dead and gone.

puerto 2

To be honest, the only time the album falters is when Kelley takes over lead vocal responsibilities. For some reason, whenever he sings the lyrics seem to lose significance and you suddenly feel as if you are listening to something that has aged badly. Fortunately, Kelley only lends his singing abilities on a handful of occasions and is usually assisted by Meyer’s sensual offering at some point.

Drumming for Pistols may not be the most progressive album in the heavily oversaturated genre of folk rock. However, it does show that both Kelley and Meyer have carefully studied their influences and taken the best attributes of each to create a sexual and macabre style that will appeal to anyone with a filthy mind. If you ever decide to kill a man, steal his car and elope with your lover on an epic road trip, I strongly recommend taking this album with you.

Categories ,Johnny Cash, ,June Carter, ,PJ Harvey, ,Puerto Muerto

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Amelia’s Magazine | Bebe and Paolo: An Interview

The Christmas festive season is now upon us and many artists are selling festive products. However few are initiated to help the poor, what is ed the downtrodden and the destitute. All I Want For Christmas Cards 2009 is one such group of creatives whose latest project is in support of the Bristol based charity ‘Young Bristol’. 20 local artists’ and illustrators’ specific works for the project are being used to create a limited edition run of Christmas cards that will be sold as packs containing each of the 20 cards.A competition, price with the brief to create a piece of work based on the phrase ‘All I want for Christmas’ took place and after receiving an overwhelming response, shop the final 20 artworks were chosen, each on their individual merits and included in the final 20 cards. Initially created with the idea of promoting the charity Young Bristol, All I Want For Christmas Cards has also brought together artists and illustrators local to Bristol for this exciting illustrative project. Here is an opportunity to support those who need! We are today interviewing a few of those illustrators who very kindly lent their creativity to a good cause.

Valerie Pezeron: Hello all. I would like to know who came up with the idea for such a wonderful project and could they tell our readers a little bit about themselves?

Creator/Organiser Ben Steers: The idea for a project like this had been rolling around in my head for a while but I just didn’t know how to best implement the concept. After moving to Bristol to kick start my illustration career and spending some time building contacts with local artists and illustrators I realised the huge concentration of talent that Bristol had to offer and after doing some voluntary work for Young Bristol I saw the opportunity to launch the idea and bring established and aspiring artists together and at the same time help benefit a really worthwhile cause. We have been really blown away by the response from everyone involved and have thoroughly enjoyed the whole process and having the pleasure of meeting so many positive and friendly people.

VP: There are many charities out there? Why pick “Young Bristol” charity for this project? What is the aim of the charity?

Ben Steers: I have recently helped Young Bristol put together a quarterly magazine on volunteer work and events in the area. There are so many great charities out there doing outstanding work every day but I think in the case of Young Bristol I felt that I could offer my creative services in some way and they also focus on helping disadvantaged individuals of my sort of age through media and arts courses. They aim to give those who didn’t have the opportunities that a lot of us take for granted, the chance to further themselves in creative fields and I think that is really something.

VP: The competition was very popular. Was there a jury and how did you select the final 20?

B S: It was a really difficult selective process as we didn’t want to turn any of the designs away simply because people had made a real effort and in the end we had over 40 design submissions to choose from. We both sat down and went through all the designs trying to select 20 on their individual merits and on how well they would sit against the other 19 as a collection. We were very aware of how all 20 cards would look if we sat them all next to each other. In the end we were very lucky in the response we got and selected 20 great designs which are varied in both style and content.

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VP: What motivated you to apply for the competition?

Ben Steers: Ben’s enthusiasm made it very difficult to say no and it’s always fun to take part in Bristol projects especially when it’s for a good cause.

VP: Have any of you ever been involved with charities before?

Illustrator Ben Newman: I’ve been involved in a few charity projects raising money for hospitals and endangered animals but my involvement always depends on whether my other projects allow me enough time. I’m really pleased that sometimes I can use a skill to help raise money.

VP: It is so easy to fall into cliches when coming up with a concept for Christmas cards? Those cards are truly original and infused with humor. How did you find inspiration for those cards?

BN: My card was inspired by some of the designs on Record company advertising banners from the 1950’s.

VP: I know what I want for Christmas and it is to welcome lovely kittens into my home. What about you, lovely people?

BN: Booze, food, friends and lot’s of sleeping.

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BjornLie

Illustration by Bjorn Lie

Name of Illustrator: Bjorn Lie

VP: What motivated you to apply for the competition?

BL:  The fact that it was for a local charity. I normally do work for clients in other countries, which is nice, but makes me feel a bit detached from where I actually am, Bristol. This was a chance to be a part of something positive, by just doing my own thing.

VP: Have any of you ever been involved with charities before?

BL: Not actively, no. I would like to do more of it in the future though.

VP: It is so easy to fall into cliches when coming up with a concept for Christmas cards? Those cards are truly original and infused with humor. How did you find inspiration for those cards?

BL:  I’ve been doing a lot of wintry scenes recently for a picture book, so I was already in that frame of mind! My card features a guy on a “spark støtting’, which is an old school means of transportation back in Norway where I’m from.

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Name of Illustrator: Rich T

VP: What motivated you to apply for the competition?

Rich T: I thought it was a great idea for a project, a good brief and most importantly fun. If you want people to do stuff for free you have to make it fun, you can’t rely on good will. Kids today….

VP: Have any of you ever been involved with charities before?

Rich T: I have donated artwork for charity auctions in the past.

VP: It is so easy to fall into cliches when coming up with a concept for Christmas cards? Those cards are truly original and infused with humor. How did you find inspiration for those cards?

Rich T: I didn’t want to draw anything to do with Christmas so for me the opposite of Christmas is probably Pepsi, always forgotten in the festive period along with Jesus, job done.

VP: I know what I want for Christmas and it is to welcome lovely kittens into my home. What about you, lovely people?

Rich T: All I want for Christmas is loads of expensive gifts, preferably ones I can sell on E bay, and a dog but I don’t want it forever, just Christmas.

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Name of Illustrator: Chris Dickason

CD: More than anything else the brief sounded like a fun way to spend some time away from commercial work and a chance to get a little Christmas over nostalgic whilst I looked for inspiration. There’s a fantastic wealth of talent in Bristol and consistently the artists and designs here produce work that’s as innovative as it is clever, funny and engaging. I’m really interested in being involved with projects that help promote the city as a creative hub. And obviously it’s great to be involved with a local charity as well.

VP: Have any of you ever been involved with charities before?

CD: I’ve worked commercially for charities and raised a bit of money from sponsorship for just about plodding myself around some marathons but I’d been looking for a project that consolidated my own discourse and a worthy cause. The ‘All I Want for Christmas’ project ticked a lot of boxes in my head when I received the email. It’s very much a win-win situation for the artists. Projects like this offer creative freedom are chance to see work viewed along side your contemporaries as well as providing a healthy dose of the ‘feel good factor’ as you get to support a charity to boot.

VP: It is so easy to fall into cliches when coming up with a concept for Christmas cards? Those cards are truly original and infused with humor. How did you find inspiration for those cards?

CD: Christmas is a great time of year because it provides some very personal memories but these experiences are similar to that shared by most other people. I was motivated to create an image that was based on occurrences that are typical of my Christmas experiences (over indulgence, goodnatured gluttony, sharing & caring) and hoped that these ideas would resonate with the audience.

VP: I know what I want for Christmas and it is to welcome lovely kittens into my home. What about you, lovely people?

CD: The main thing I want for Christmas is in fact free and that is a nice chunk of uninterrupted sleep. If I had my may I’d turn into a big grizzly bear and snooze all winter long and wake back up when the temperature is back in double figures. Alas I’m yet to master this skill.

shop

So now you know what these chaps all want for Christmas. How about you? You might just want to escape the usual uninspiring, tacky and overdone festive art on display this season and treat yourself to fun, cheeky and sustainable charity cards. The Christmas card packs are a limited edition of 500, each containing 20 cards individually designed by 20 of Bristol’s finest illustrators, litho printed on 100% recycled card, 20 envelopes and an A2 poster. They cam be purchased on www.alliwantforchristmascards.com. Price per pack: £15 + £2.99 p&p

PB1

Bebe and Paolo are a rockabilly and jazz inspired duo from Weymouth. Just 5 months into starting out they played Camp Bestival, ed after winning a local Battle of the Bands contest. I ventured down to the Flowerpot, see Kentish Town, to see the dynamic duo play…what a gig! I got chatting to front woman, Bebe Black afterward…

How did you two meet and decide to start making music together?
We met about seven or eight years ago in Weymouth, and used to hang around the place drinking and smoking and generally being a nuisance like teenagers are. Eventually Bebe moved away to Bournemouth and then London and Paolo went to study at the ACM. We didn’t meet again until Christmas 2008 at an Eighties Matchbox B-line Disaster gig back home. We started chatting about our love of jazz and 50’s rockabilly, and within a week Paolo had written a piece for Bebe to sing over. We finally got it together in February 2009, and have been gigging and writing non-stop since then.

What type of music would you say you make?
We’ve named it “Jazz Punk Erotica”

PB4

Which bands have influenced your music?
Kate Bush, Edith Piaf, Robert Johnson, Eddie Lang, Ruth Etting, Billie Holiday.

Who would you love to cover one of your songs?
I would like to hear Phoebe Legere covering “Good Boys” live with an accordion.

What has been your best live experience so far?
Playing at Camp Bestival was wild, the running order went something along the lines of: “Spongebob SquarePants, Bebe and Paolo, PJ Harvey.” You can’t beat that!
We also played on Sark, in the Channel Islands. It’s a little island with no cars, no streetlamps – only horse and carts and torches! We had a great time, but we were banned from singing some of our more risqué songs!

PB3

If you could play live, at any venue in the world, where would you choose and why?
We want to play Ronnie Scott’s, and we want to wear Nike air max whilst we’re doing it! Also the Luminaire would be amazing and of course the Jools Holland Show for reasons that do not need to be explained…

Bebe, Your outfits are always very cool and you express a very distinct style. Are your outfits always well thought out? or do you just chuck anything on that looks good?
I think it’s a bit of both! I studied and worked in fashion, so the way I put things together is probably fairly programmed by now in the way that I like wearing one striking piece of clothing and keeping the rest simple. I only buy items that I think will stand the test of time, and usually those kind of clothes stand out on-stage. I’m about to start collaborating with up-and-coming designer, Sam Membury, who’s pieces are simple but beautiful. My mum says “Look rich, Live Poor” so that’s my motto when it comes to how I dress!

What is your favourite item of clothing/ accessory at the moment?
A vintage studded belt that I forgot I owned until I found it hiding out in the back of my wardrobe last week and a Butler and Wilson skeleton brooch that I paid too much money for, but love endlessly.

Images by Briony Warren

See Bebe and Paolo play this Friday 27th, at the ‘Swinging Sixties Night’ at the Fashion and Textiles Museum.

Categories ,Billie Holiday, ,Camp Bestival, ,Eddie Lang, ,Edith Piaf, ,Eighties Matchbox B-line Disaster, ,Erotica, ,Fashion and Textiles Museum, ,Flowerpot, ,gig, ,interview, ,jazz, ,Jools Holland, ,Kate Bush, ,live, ,london, ,luminaire, ,music, ,Phoebe Legere, ,PJ Harvey, ,punk, ,Robert Johnson, ,Ronnie Scott’s, ,Ruth Etting, ,Sam Membury, ,Spongebob SquarePants

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Amelia’s Magazine | The Barclaycard Mercury Prize – 2011 Nominees

Elbow by Natasha Thompson

Next month 12 acts will nervously wait to see if they will be announced as the Barclaycard Mercury Music Prize winner for 2011. The Mercury’s are well known for championing the best of British music and this year’s shortlist is no different. Many of the acts (like Adele) are not surprising but there are those lesser-known acts (Gwilym Simcock, here anyone?) and what’s exciting about the Mercury Prize is that the judges do have a tendency towards picking the act that no one suspected. Read on to hear about each of the nominated acts.

Adele by Natasha Thompson

Adele 21
Very much the favourite and it’s not at all surprising when you consider what a year it has been for Adele. Her second album 21 has smashed chart records and she has become a sensation across the pond too.

PJ Harvey by Claire Kearns

PJ Harvey by Natasha Thompson

PJ Harvey Let England Shake
PJ Harvey has already won one of these Mercury Prizes before 2001 for the album Stories from the City, site Stories from the Sea, visit this making her the first woman to win the award. Despite her incredible discography critics are lauding Let England Shake as Polly Harvey’s masterpiece.

Elbow by Natalie Hughes

Elbow Build a Rocket Boys!
By no means a new act but Elbow have come to the fore once again this year with their new album Build A Rocket Boys! and after storming their set at this year’s Glastonbury. If they won it would be the second time for Guy Garvey et al who were victorious in 2008 with their album The Seldom Seen Kid.

Tinie Tempah by Tom Casson

?Tinie Tempah Disc-Overy
One of the newer acts in the this year’s Mercury shortlist and joint fourth favourite to win, unsurprising as the star’s Pass Out as been a constant soundtrack to the past 12 months, no bad thing as it contains one of my favourite ever lyrics ‘I got so many clothes/ I keep some at my Aunt’s house.’ Genuis. He’s already won himself a Brit award, so he could well be on to track to bag the Mercury prize.

?Anna Calvi Anna Calvi
Anna Calvi has perhaps managed to ride into the music scene on the slipstream of big female acts like Florence and Adele but unlike some of her contemporaries, Calvi has bought something new to the table. Her big sound and ferocious guitar playing makes her a real contender for the Mercury prize.

Katy B by Cheryl Windahl

Katy B On a Mission
Like Adele, Katy B attended the famous Brit School, who are clearly doing something right. Katy B hasn’t quite taken off like her schoolmate but her mix of dubstep and R&B sound means she is standing out from the crowd

Metronomy The English Riviera
Metronomy have been around a while and although winning themselves a large fanbase they haven’t yet become mainstream – making them a perfect candidate for the slightly offbeat Mercurys.

Everything Everything by Emma Carlisle

Everything Everything Man Alive
Everything Everything are relative newcomers but have certainly made an impression and can often be found brightening up the radio waves with their single Photoshop Handsome. Their sound is good, old fashioned indie-pop, which could mean Everything Everything lose out at the Mercury’s.

James Blake by Cheryl Windahl

?James Blake James Blake
James Blake has made waves this year with his minimal electronia and moving album James Blake. It includes the blusey Limit To Your Love, which has got everyone excited about sustained pauses or the gaps between the notes as well as his futuristic sound.

?Gwilym Simcock Good Days at Schloss Elmau
The Mercury shortlist always contains a jazz musician and there are always rumours that the judges will shun the favourites and pick one of more obscure acts on the list. The talented Gwilym might want to hope that he isn’t picked as the Mercury curse could see his career stopped short, a la Speech DeBelle in 2009!

Ghostpoet by Chris Ross

Ghostpoet Peanut Butter Blues & Melancholy Jam
One of those hotly tipped artists for 2011 Ghostpoet is nominated for his album Peanut Butter Blues and Melancholy Jam. Full of laid back and melancholy electronica-laced tracks Ghostpoet hasn’t exactly exploded yet but you might recognize the single Survive It.

Categories ,Adele, ,Anna Calvi, ,Awards, ,Barclaycard, ,Elbow, ,everything everything, ,Ghostpoet, ,Gwilym Simcock, ,James Blake, ,Katy B, ,King Creosote & Jon Hopkins, ,Mercury Music Awards, ,metronomy, ,PJ Harvey, ,Tinie Tempah

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Amelia’s Magazine | Alain Johannes: Spark (2010) Album Review

Andrew Curtis’s photography expose the fallacy of normality on which the construct of British Suburbia survives aided and abetted by local newspapers and the tabloids. In a time where British Suburbia has become the hotspot for floating voters. Where was Boris Johnson accredited with visiting in his challenge to become London Mayor, nurse buy which Ken Livingstone was chastened for neglecting and it was subsequently claimed lost Ken the election? Why, no rx it was the outer zones of Suburban London.

Suburbs have provided ample fodder for British writers, price the most famous being a resident of Suburban London, JG Ballard and the photographs of Curtis continue to emphaise that not all is as it seems.

Continuing a British tradition of romanticising the life outside the city, potentially epitomised in Constable’s Haywain, (whose idyll removed all traces of the countryside’s unrest) life in the suburbs has been idealised. It being the world behind the facade, Curtis’ photographs aims to expose, potently the precise suburbia the artist, himself inhabits.

Walking into the gallery, the viewer is greeted with large monochrome photographs, each (apart from a photograph documenting a crash) image dominated by the imposing presence of a tree picked out in heavy black gloss. On closer examination the surface of Curtis’ prints are dotted with printing errors, the type of which professional printers (the Artist’s day job –therefore we can assume these marks to be intentional) painstakingly iron out. These marks, are another layer added to Curtis’ undermining of the idyll, so painstakingly cultivated by the residents of Suburbia.

A role of the photographer, it could be argued is to challenge what it is we see on a daily basis, develop our visual language and challenge visual associations. In Curtis’ photographs, the unfamiliar is accentuated, the work that goes into maintenance is exaggerated. Never noticed monkey puzzle trees? which dominate suburban Britain? After visiting PayneShurvell, you will not fail to notice them. These remnants left over from the colonial plundering of Victorian Britain dominate the picture plane. Their forced presence in the British Landscape our a constant remainder of our less than spotless past are enhanced via tcareful application of dripped gloss paint .

Curtis’ photographs are an exploration into the psyche of modern suburbia fitting of Ballard, (whose words head the press release and introduce this article) and Amelia’s Magazine throughly recommend a trip to PayneShurvell before the exhibition closes on the 6th November.

This week as part of First Thursday, PayneShurvell are delighted (as are we) that Andrew Curtis will be hosting a talk on “Wild England”.

Andrew Curtis’s photography expose the fallacy of normality on which the construct of British Suburbia survives aided and abetted by local newspapers and the tabloids. In a time where British Suburbia has become the hotspot for floating voters. Where was Boris Johnson accredited with visiting in his challenge to become London Mayor, ampoule which Ken Livingstone was chastened for neglecting and it was subsequently claimed lost Ken the election? Why, for sale it was the outer zones of Suburban London.

Suburbs have provided ample fodder for British writers, here the most famous being a resident of Suburban London, JG Ballard and the photographs of Curtis continue to emphaise that not all is as it seems.

Continuing a British tradition of romanticising the life outside the city, potentially epitomised in Constable’s Haywain, (whose idyll removed all traces of the countryside’s unrest) life in the suburbs has been idealised. It being the world behind the facade, Curtis’ photographs aims to expose, potently the precise suburbia the artist, himself inhabits.

Walking into the gallery, the viewer is greeted with large monochrome photographs, each (apart from a photograph documenting a crash) image dominated by the imposing presence of a tree picked out in heavy black gloss. On closer examination the surface of Curtis’ prints are dotted with printing errors, the type of which professional printers (the Artist’s day job –therefore we can assume these marks to be intentional) painstakingly iron out. These marks, are another layer added to Curtis’ undermining of the idyll, so painstakingly cultivated by the residents of Suburbia.

A role of the photographer, it could be argued is to challenge what it is we see on a daily basis, develop our visual language and challenge visual associations. In Curtis’ photographs, the unfamiliar is accentuated, the work that goes into maintenance is exaggerated. Never noticed monkey puzzle trees? which dominate suburban Britain? After visiting PayneShurvell, you will not fail to notice them. These remnants left over from the colonial plundering of Victorian Britain dominate the picture plane. Their forced presence in the British Landscape our a constant remainder of our less than spotless past are enhanced via tcareful application of dripped gloss paint .

Curtis’ photographs are an exploration into the psyche of modern suburbia fitting of Ballard, (whose words head the press release and introduce this article) and Amelia’s Magazine throughly recommend a trip to PayneShurvell before the exhibition closes on the 6th November.

This week as part of First Thursday, PayneShurvell are delighted (as are we) that Andrew Curtis will be hosting a talk on “Wild England”.

PayneShurvell opening hours: Wednesday to Saturday, 11am to 6pm.

Andrew Curtis’s photography expose the fallacy of normality on which the construct of British Suburbia survives aided and abetted by local newspapers and the tabloids. In a time where British Suburbia has become the hotspot for floating voters. Where was Boris Johnson accredited with visiting in his challenge to become London Mayor, viagra which Ken Livingstone was chastened for neglecting and it was subsequently claimed lost Ken the election? Why, it was the outer zones of Suburban London.

Suburbs have provided ample fodder for British writers, the most famous being a resident of Suburban London, JG Ballard and the photographs of Curtis continue to emphaise that not all is as it seems.

Continuing a British tradition of romanticising the life outside the city, potentially epitomised in Constable’s Haywain, (whose idyll removed all traces of the countryside’s unrest) life in the suburbs has been idealised. It being the world behind the facade, Curtis’ photographs aims to expose, potently the precise suburbia the artist, himself inhabits.

Walking into the gallery, the viewer is greeted with large monochrome photographs, each (apart from a photograph documenting a crash) image dominated by the imposing presence of a tree picked out in heavy black gloss. On closer examination the surface of Curtis’ prints are dotted with printing errors, the type of which professional printers (the Artist’s day job –therefore we can assume these marks to be intentional) painstakingly iron out. These marks, are another layer added to Curtis’ undermining of the idyll, so painstakingly cultivated by the residents of Suburbia.

A role of the photographer, it could be argued is to challenge what it is we see on a daily basis, develop our visual language and challenge visual associations. In Curtis’ photographs, the unfamiliar is accentuated, the work that goes into maintenance is exaggerated. Never noticed monkey puzzle trees? which dominate suburban Britain? After visiting PayneShurvell, you will not fail to notice them. These remnants left over from the colonial plundering of Victorian Britain dominate the picture plane. Their forced presence in the British Landscape our a constant remainder of our less than spotless past are enhanced via tcareful application of dripped gloss paint .

Curtis’ photographs are an exploration into the psyche of modern suburbia fitting of Ballard, (whose words head the press release and introduce this article) and Amelia’s Magazine throughly recommend a trip to PayneShurvell before the exhibition closes on the 6th November.

This week as part of First Thursday, PayneShurvell are delighted (as are we) that Andrew Curtis will be hosting a talk on “Wild England”.

PayneShurvell opening hours: Wednesday to Saturday, 11am to 6pm.

Andrew Curtis’s photography expose the fallacy of normality on which the construct of British Suburbia survives aided and abetted by local newspapers and the tabloids. In a time where British Suburbia has become the hotspot for floating voters. Where was Boris Johnson accredited with visiting in his challenge to become London Mayor, ask which Ken Livingstone was chastened for neglecting and it was subsequently claimed lost Ken the election? Why, view it was the outer zones of Suburban London.

Suburbs have provided ample fodder for British writers, the most famous being a resident of Suburban London, JG Ballard and the photographs of Curtis continue to emphaise that not all is as it seems.

Continuing a British tradition of romanticising the life outside the city, potentially epitomised in Constable’s Haywain, (whose idyll removed all traces of the countryside’s unrest) life in the suburbs has been idealised. It being the world behind the facade, Curtis’ photographs aims to expose, potently the precise suburbia the artist, himself inhabits.

Walking into the gallery, the viewer is greeted with large monochrome photographs, each (apart from a photograph documenting a crash) image dominated by the imposing presence of a tree picked out in heavy black gloss. On closer examination the surface of Curtis’ prints are dotted with printing errors, the type of which professional printers (the Artist’s day job –therefore we can assume these marks to be intentional) painstakingly iron out. These marks, are another layer added to Curtis’ undermining of the idyll, so painstakingly cultivated by the residents of Suburbia.

A role of the photographer, it could be argued is to challenge what it is we see on a daily basis, develop our visual language and challenge visual associations. In Curtis’ photographs, the unfamiliar is accentuated, the work that goes into maintenance is exaggerated. Never noticed monkey puzzle trees? which dominate suburban Britain? After visiting PayneShurvell, you will not fail to notice them. These remnants left over from the colonial plundering of Victorian Britain dominate the picture plane. Their forced presence in the British Landscape our a constant remainder of our less than spotless past are enhanced via tcareful application of dripped gloss paint .

Curtis’ photographs are an exploration into the psyche of modern suburbia fitting of Ballard, (whose words head the press release and introduce this article) and Amelia’s Magazine throughly recommend a trip to PayneShurvell before the exhibition closes on the 6th November.

This week as part of First Thursday, PayneShurvell are delighted (as are we) that Andrew Curtis will be hosting a talk on “Wild England”.

PayneShurvell opening hours: Wednesday to Saturday, 11am to 6pm.
Modern Times

Andrew Curtis’s photography expose the fallacy of normality on which the construct of British Suburbia survives aided and abetted by local newspapers and the tabloids. In a time where British Suburbia has become the hotspot for floating voters. Where was Boris Johnson accredited with visiting in his challenge to become London Mayor, viagra which Ken Livingstone was chastened for neglecting and it was subsequently claimed lost Ken the election? Why, pill it was the outer zones of Suburban London.

Suburbs have provided ample fodder for British writers, the most famous being a resident of Suburban London, JG Ballard and the photographs of Curtis continue to emphaise that not all is as it seems.

Continuing a British tradition of romanticising the life outside the city, potentially epitomised in Constable’s Haywain, (whose idyll removed all traces of the countryside’s unrest) life in the suburbs has been idealised. It being the world behind the facade, Curtis’ photographs aims to expose, potently the precise suburbia the artist, himself inhabits.

New Empire (How Crooked Are Your Branches)

Walking into the gallery, the viewer is greeted with large monochrome photographs, each (apart from a photograph documenting a crash) image dominated by the imposing presence of a tree picked out in heavy black gloss. On closer examination the surface of Curtis’ prints are dotted with printing errors, the type of which professional printers (the Artist’s day job –therefore we can assume these marks to be intentional) painstakingly iron out. These marks, are another layer added to Curtis’ undermining of the idyll, so painstakingly cultivated by the residents of Suburbia.

New Empire Amnesia

A role of the photographer, it could be argued is to challenge what it is we see on a daily basis, develop our visual language and challenge visual associations. In Curtis’ photographs, the unfamiliar is accentuated, the work that goes into maintenance is exaggerated. Never noticed monkey puzzle trees? which dominate suburban Britain? After visiting PayneShurvell, you will not fail to notice them. These remnants left over from the colonial plundering of Victorian Britain dominate the picture plane. Their forced presence in the British Landscape our a constant remainder of our less than spotless past are enhanced via tcareful application of dripped gloss paint .

Curtis’ photographs are an exploration into the psyche of modern suburbia fitting of Ballard, (whose words head the press release and introduce this article) and Amelia’s Magazine throughly recommend a trip to PayneShurvell before the exhibition closes on the 6th November.

This week as part of First Thursday, PayneShurvell are delighted (as are we) that Andrew Curtis will be hosting a talk on “Wild England”.

PayneShurvell opening hours: Wednesday to Saturday, 11am to 6pm.
Modern Times

Andrew Curtis’s photography expose the fallacy of normality on which the construct of British Suburbia survives aided and abetted by local newspapers and the tabloids. In a time where British Suburbia has become the hotspot for floating voters. Where was Boris Johnson accredited with visiting in his challenge to become London Mayor, approved which Ken Livingstone was chastened for neglecting and it was subsequently claimed lost Ken the election? Why, it was the outer zones of Suburban London.

Suburbs have provided ample fodder for British writers, the most famous being a resident of Suburban London, JG Ballard and the photographs of Curtis continue to emphaise that not all is as it seems.

Continuing a British tradition of romanticising the life outside the city, potentially epitomised in Constable’s Haywain, (whose idyll removed all traces of the countryside’s unrest) life in the suburbs has been idealised. It being the world behind the facade, Curtis’ photographs aims to expose, potently the precise suburbia the artist, himself inhabits.

New Empire (How Crooked Are Your Branches)

Walking into the gallery, the viewer is greeted with large monochrome photographs, each (apart from a photograph documenting a crash) image dominated by the imposing presence of a tree picked out in heavy black gloss. On closer examination the surface of Curtis’ prints are dotted with printing errors, the type of which professional printers (the Artist’s day job –therefore we can assume these marks to be intentional) painstakingly iron out. These marks, are another layer added to Curtis’ undermining of the idyll, so painstakingly cultivated by the residents of Suburbia.

New Empire Amnesia

A role of the photographer, it could be argued is to challenge what it is we see on a daily basis, develop our visual language and challenge visual associations. In Curtis’ photographs, the unfamiliar is accentuated, the work that goes into maintenance is exaggerated. Never noticed monkey puzzle trees? which dominate suburban Britain? After visiting PayneShurvell, you will not fail to notice them. These remnants left over from the colonial plundering of Victorian Britain dominate the picture plane. Their forced presence in the British Landscape our a constant remainder of our less than spotless past are enhanced via tcareful application of dripped gloss paint .

Curtis’ photographs are an exploration into the psyche of modern suburbia fitting of Ballard, (whose words head the press release and introduce this article) and Amelia’s Magazine throughly recommend a trip to PayneShurvell before the exhibition closes on the 6th November.

This week as part of First Thursday, PayneShurvell are delighted (as are we) that Andrew Curtis will be hosting a talk on “Wild England”.

PayneShurvell opening hours: Wednesday to Saturday, 11am to 6pm.
Alain Johannes Spark

You might not know it, healing but you know Alain Johannes. Producer and artist extraordinaire, click having previously produced and collaborated with the infamous Queens of the Stone Age; No Doubt, PJ Harvey, Eleven, and toured with the super group Them Crooked Vultures earlier this year, Johannes is renowned throughout many rock circles for his mesmerising guitar skills, which in March of this year had me caught in a spell during a musical intermission of the Crooked Vultures’ intense set. Thinking Johannes was a brave man to compete with the likes of Grohl, Homme and Jones, I was left blown away by his talent and unequivocal sound.

Johannes Alain Tim Norris
Photograph by Tim Norris.

Making a stand in his own right, Johannes recently released his debut record Spark, co released with Dangerbird Records and Rekords Rekords, the latter label set up by fellow musical maestro Josh Homme of QOTSA and Them Crooked Vultures fame. This is definitely a family affair, and what an awesome family. Dedicating his debut record to his late wife and producing partner Natasha Shneider, fellow Queens of the Stone Age and Eagles of Death Metal collaborator, there is a great sense of magnitude, of heartfelt pain and strength that breathes through the tracks. First track and single Endless Eyes is a beautifully and eloquent tribute to Natasha, and sets the tone for the entire record. Johannes’ signature cigar box guitar creates such a definitive sound it’s refreshing to describe as innovative and enchanting. However stand out tracks include Return to You, which has an unashamed Beatles-esque tone to it, bringing an air of nostalgia and warmth to the record, which can’t be a bad thing.

The record stealing guitar crescendo of a masterpiece to my ears is the incredible Speechless, which builds with such classical and flamenco ferocity; it’s topped by Johannes’ elegant vocals that beautifully complete the ghostly track. Gentle Ghosts draws the record toward its close, but not without a trek through a sensory mind field that awakes the goose bumps scheduled for truly remarkable artists. There’s so much passion and raw emotion surging through Spark, its hard not to feel a greater sense of appreciation. Closing with Unfinished Plan, a classical guitar led cathartic and heartbreaking end to a brilliant debut. Spark shines and splinters through Johannes’ incredibly personal journey, and I’m pretty stoked to be along for the ride.

Alain Johannes’ Spark is for those who likes a bit of substance sprinkled over their desert rock desserts, a treat of a record that won’t turn sour the more you listen. Johannes brings light to the desert rock scene, which, though never fading, has now taken a new and brilliant direction.

Categories ,Alain Johannes, ,Dangerbird Records, ,Dave Grohl, ,Desert Rock, ,Eagles of Death Metal, ,Eleven, ,John Paul Jones, ,Josh Homme, ,Natasha Shneider, ,No Doubt, ,PJ Harvey, ,queens of the stone age, ,Rekords Rekords, ,Spark, ,the beatles, ,Them Crooked Vultures, ,Tim Norris

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